A judge changed a sentence from six months in prison to eight years after a teenager convicted in a drive-by shooting wrote a letter asking a friend to take over his marijuana dealings.
Aaron K. Lawless, 18, agreed to testify against two men who prosecutors say set up the shooting that killed 19-year-old Alisha Quillen last July. The two men were sentenced to eight years in prison while Lawless got six months. He had only 20 days left to serve.
Knox County Criminal Court Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz gave Lawless the shorter sentence even after learning he lied about his role in the shooting.
Leibowitz changed her mind about the sentence last week after authorities intercepted a letter Lawless wrote to a friend about "pushing some weed" while he is on probation.